Are You Drinking Toxic Tap Water?

Southampton is to get its water supply fluoridated – despite local protests.

A High Court judge rejected a final appeal against the decision not to allow a judicial review of claims health bosses failed to properly assess key arguments against the proposals before giving them their unanimous backing.

Now South Central Strategic Health Authority (SHA) finally has the all-clear to move ahead with the scheme, which will affect nearly 200,000 people in parts of Southampton, Eastleigh, Totton, Netley and Rownhams.

The authority said the chemical could be added to the water supplies within 'several' months.

The legal challenge brought by Southampton resident, Geraldine Milner, suffered its final defeat in a short hearing at London's Royal Courts of Justice.

She was appealing after the High Court had thrown out her bid for a judicial review into the fluoride decision in February.

Ms Milner's lawyers tried to argue that key points raised during the consultation by the county council and campaign group Hampshire Against Fluoridation (HAF) were not properly analysed.

They included claims that there would be a significant environmental impact of adding fluoride to water supplies.

Other local authorities had put other fluoridation schemes on hold pending the outcome of the case.